He was caught after going to a pawnbroker with Mrs Scott’s engagement ring, bought by her late husband, along with other sentimental items.

Now, Mrs Scott’s daughter Rosemary Finlan has criticised the care system for allowing Smith to prey on her vulnerable mother.

She said: ‘Mum had had a series of falls and she needed extra help with making meals, chores and washing. Smith was a very plausible man and she welcomed him into her home. But he groomed her.

‘He gave her a lot of attention and built up a relationship with her. She was always asking for Craig. He was extra nice to her and went beyond the call of duty, so alarm bells started ringing.’

Smith was first employed as Mrs Scott’s carer in July 2012 and regularly visited her home in Lancaster. Mrs Finlan said he regularly bought her mother gifts to earn her trust, including a fan he had purchased while on holiday in Spain and a pair of slippers.

Mrs Finlan and her brother Philip first noticed something was wrong when large sums of money disappeared from her bank account without explanation.

Employer: Smith, who worked for Elite Care Providers (pictured) of Preston, was arrested in November 2012

Sentencing: Smith was jailed for six months at Preston Crown Court (pictured) in Lancashire

‘It all happened so quickly,’ Mrs Finlan said. ‘We noticed petty cash going missing from her house and silly things, like washing powder.

‘The chores weren’t being done and Smith was taking her out without us knowing. He’d call round unexpectedly.

‘Then we noticed that her engagement ring which she wore all the time had gone missing. We thought she had forgetfully misplaced it.’

Share this article

Smith had gone upstairs into Mrs Scott’s bedroom and rifled through her possessions. He took the ring, bought for Mrs Scott by her late husband Alan, and other jewellery which belonged to her mother.

Then he sold it at a Lancaster pawnbroker after telling them it was his grandmother’s jewellery.

Smith, who worked for Elite Care Providers of Preston, was arrested in November 2012 and the jewellery was retrieved.

Mrs Finlan said: 'We made complaints and nobody took responsibility. Nobody helped us in any way or helped us find another care provider. The whole care system is shocking.

Home: Smith, who lived on this road in Blackpool, admitted two counts of theft and three of false representation

‘My mum is such a nice person. She’s not really aware of all of this because her dementia is quite bad now. You hear about these things in the news. You never think it will happen to you.’

Smith admitted two counts of theft and three of false representation. He was jailed for six months at Preston Crown Court. Charges relating to thefts of cash from Mrs Scott were dropped.

'We noticed petty cash going missing from her house and silly things, like washing powder. The chores weren’t being done and Smith was taking her out without us knowing. He’d call round unexpectedly'

Rosemary Finlan, daughter of victim Sylvia Scott

A Lancashire County Council spokesman told MailOnline: ‘We are unable to comment on individual cases. However, all care agencies on our 'preferred providers' scheme are required to meet specific quality standards.

‘We monitor these agencies closely and always take action whenever the required standards are not being met. All care agencies must have a complaints policy, and we expect them to work positively with service users to resolve complaints directly.

‘If the complaints are unresolved, people whose services are arranged by the county council can use our complaints procedure. We take complaints very seriously and work closely with care agencies, service users and their families to resolve any difficulties that may arise.’

Nobody from Elite Care Providers was available for comment when contacted by MailOnline today, or on the three occasions they were approached by a local newspaper.